I made the road trip back out to Colorado today and noticed a burning smell with a little smoke after coming up a steep grade at Park City, Utah. Smelled almost like burning brakes but at the gas station they were fine. Checked the oil and was about a quart low with a very slight drip under the car and what looked like oil residue on the under carriage. Never had a low oil pressure like or anything and not a hint of overheating.

I was convinced it was only burning oil only not sure what burning oil actually smells like; anything similar to brakes? This is where the question of the clutch came in when I was idling around trying to find a parking spot... whenever I would put it back into first the smell would come back for a moment. Could the clutch be slipping badly every time I shift for it to burn/smoke?

Thanks for any input!

 

i'm guessing you mean when you're engaging the clutch in first it smells again? sounds like the clutch to me, oil has a kind of pungent, almost sweet smell (white/blue tint look), clutch smells more like rotten food

not sure what your driving habits are but take it easy on the shifting for a while, it may just be the surface of the clutch is messed up a bit, not that it's worn down completely

ps, a select few examples of 2004 models have known to have crank seal problems where oil leaks out, one guys car started on fire on the highway because of this, i'm sure he got more than a new car back from audi

 

Yes when I engage the clutch it smells again, but not sure if its that or that I'm going slow enough to smell it easily. I've smelled burning clutch on other cars and this seems to have little resemblance.

As for driving habits they're spirited at times but this just happened while cruising at 85 600 miles into the road trip, seems a little strange for it to suddenly mess up. I could be imagining it but the clutch petal seems to have a little less feel and it engages a little quicker.

 

I noticed the same thing this morning when I stopped to get gas on the way into work. What part of the clutch would need to be replaced?

 

Turns out my valve covers were leaking and also had a tranny leak on some connecting shaft... arghhh 4 days at the doctor!